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(Remodel.) n

T. L. MGKBEN.

GAR coUPLING. No. 539,287.A Patented May 14, 1895.

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UNITED STATES i PATENT EEICE.

THOMAS L. MCKEEN, 0E NEW YORK, N. Y, AssIcNoR on oNEHALF To HARRY c. BLYE, on SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 539,287, dated May 14, 1895. Appiimionieanmii9,1895. seminari-11,166. (remodel.)

'and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings;

and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the i'nrthe tail, C', of this knuckle is providedwith vention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it'appertains to make andy provement, the knuckle having been removed and part of the body of the draw-head broken away. Fig. 2 is a sectional View through the draw-head recesson the vertical plane indicated by the broken line marked a: in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the draw-head on the horizontal plane indicated by the broken line `marked y y in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the rear end of the pivotedv knuckle, showing the recessed or grooved tail which engages the free end of the knuckle-spring; and Fig. 5 is a detail view of said knuckle -spring removed from the draw-head recess into which it is inserted and within which it works."Y n

Like letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention relates to car-couplings of theV so-called Master Car Builders pattern, provided with a so-called knuckle, pivoted in a recess within the drawhead and provided with a tail, working within the recessed drawhead, while the opposite end of the knuckle, yor lip, projects beyond the recess, and is adapted to engage or interlock with the corresponding lipof another drawhead of the same pattern appertaining to another car. Some couplings of this type are provided with springs for automatically adjusting the knuckle in its position for coupling; and my invention consists in an improved construction of this spring; in the manner ot' fastening it within the recess of the drawhead; and in its combination with the recessed drawhead and the grooved tail of the knuckle;

substantially as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

On the accompanying'drawings, the reference-letter A denotes the drawbar, and B the drawhead of one of Vmy improved couplings;

:the knuckle, C, of which is pivoted, as usual, `upon a stout fulcrum-pin, D.

On referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that a groove or recess, c, adapted to receive the lip, e, of a spring, of the peculiar construction illustrated in Fig. 5.- By reference to this figure, it will be seen that the spring is made by twisting and bending a piece ofproperly annealed spring-wire into two coils, viz: an upper coil, E, andthe lower coil, E', leaving the ends of each coil to project at the top and bottom, as shown at f and f respectively;

while the middle part, between the springcoils, E and E', forms a tongue, F, terminatlng in the lip, e, which, as we have seen, is

adapted to tit within the groove, c, in the tail through registering apertures in the top and `the spring vertically, it' may readily be insertedinto the drawhead. recess from the front side, placing it between the two bosses, G and G; and by then releasing the vertical pressure, the spring will expand vertically so that its upper coil, E, will slip tup upon the offset or shoulder, g, while the lower coil, E', will simultaneously and similarly be'seated upon the lower offset, g. In other words, the two bosses, G and G', with their reduced ends, g and g', will form seats for the centrally in- IOO serted spring, the tongue of which, F, will then bcinposition to` bear against the free end of the knuckle-tail, with its lip, e, projecting into the groove, c, in the tail. In order to maintain the spring in this proper operative position, and prevent its free arms or ends,fand f', from being in theway, by displacement of the spring upon its seat, I cast the interior of the drawhead with a rib or web, b, projecting from the inner wall of the drawhead-recess, one on side of the seat-bosses, G G', so that the free ends of the spring-arms, fand f', may be inserted in the recess formed back ot' this vertical web, b, as illustrated in Fig. 3. In this simple manner,y the spring may besecured firmly in its proper operative position within the drawhead recess, and yet in such a manner that it can be easily and instantly removed for repairs, or if it is desired, at any time, to substitute a new spring. rlhe spring itself can bemade at very small expense from ordinary spring-wire, and will be found, owing to its peculiar construction, not only to retain its elasticity for a very long time and under all circumstances; but it will be found durable in an extraordinary degree, so that it is not liable to be snapped or broken, however violent the concussion may be to` which the drawhead-knuckle j may besub 'jected Theigravitvlatch, shown at I-l,.and other operative parts ot' thecoupling, form no` part of my present improvement, and may Le of any desired construction, according to the particular style of knuckle-coupling to which my improved spring is to be applied.

Onthe drawings, l have shown a couplingofthe Thurmond style, of the Master vOar Builders. pattern; but it will be obvious that my improvement is applicableto, and may advantageously be applied to, all knuckle-coup-` lings of the same general pattern, involving the combination with a recessed drawhead of a spring-actuated self-couplingknuckle.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesl. In a knuckle coupling, the combination with the recessed drawhead formed with a rib or web b, and the knuckle formed with a recess c, of the duplex or double coiled spring comprising the two coils E and E', connected bythe intermediate tongue F and terminating at opposite ends in laterally projecting arms f, f', and the pin passing through said coils and through registering apertures in the drawhead, substantially as described.

2. In a knuckle coupling, the combination with the recessed drawhead formed with a ribor web b, and the knuckle formed with a recess c, of the duplex or double coiled spring comprising the two coils E` and E', connected by the intermediate tongue F and terminat` ing at opposite ends in laterally projecting arms f andf, substantially as described.

3. The combination with apivoted knuckle havin ga grooved tail, C', of the recessed drawhead cast with .the interior sprngfseats, G G', terminating in reduced ends or shoulders, g g', and provided with the vertical rib or web, b; and duplex spring comprising the wirecoils, E E', intermediate tongue, F, terminating in the rounded lip, e, and laterallyfprojecting parallel arms, ff; substantially as and for the purpose shown and settorth.

4.. The recessed drawhead, B, cast with the interior opposite bosses, G and G', ofthe shape shown and described, in vertical alignment with each other; and with the `vertical laterally-projecting rib or web, b; substantiallyas and for the purpose herein shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS L. MOKEEN. Witnesses: f

J. H. REILLY,

JOHN A.` PoRcHER. 

